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A soldier parachutes from the sky

THE wartime blitz spirit came out over the weekend when non-stop rain very nearly put paid to a huge military re-enactment in the Kennet Valley.

It had taken military vehicle enthusiasts a year to plan the Route to Victory even at Ramsbury and Aldbourne.

Scores of enthusiasts with military vehicles ranging from tanks to armoured scout cars and even heavy artillery descended on Ramsbury for the event.

It was organised by the Kennet Valley area group of the Military Vehicle Trust to pay homage to all the soldiers and airmen who were based along the Kennet Valley during World War 2.

Ramsbury and Aldbourne provided temporary homes in huts and even under canvas for allied and American servicemen as they waited to be flown into Battle in Europe.

Those days were reconstructed at the weekend with soldiers camped in Ramsbury, a 1940's fashion show and dance in Aldbourne and convoys of military vehicles taking to the roads.

The weekend was authentic to the point of having military checkpoints and soldiers out on patrol in uniform carrying guns.

Brothers Neil and Clive Stevens, both originally from Marlborough, together with Keith Brigstock from Pewsey and others spent a year planning the event.

Re-enacters stand at attention

Monday was the big day with a huge parade of vehicles planned through Ramsbury ahead of a day of activities on Rookery Field in Loves Lane, which had been an army camp in WW2.

Heavy rain started at midnight on Saturday and continued through the night leaving the organisers with the decision of whether to go ahead or cancel the event.

As the torrential rain began to abate Mr Brigstock said: "The old blitz spirit is coming through."

It was decided to go ahead with a reduced size parade of vehicles an hour later than programmed.

The convoy of vehicles through the village was meant to represent the freeing of Dutch towns as the allied forces taking part in Operation Market garden drove the Germans out in 1944.

It was a case of déjà vu for Ramsbury villager Ben Tottenham because he was involved in Operation Market garden as a lieutenant with the 5th Royal Enniskillen Dragoon Guards.

Mr Tottenham, 88, who has lived in Ramsbury for 12 years was one of the officers who took the German surrender in Holland and he was responsible for handling more than 2,000 captured Nazi troops.

On Saturday he was delighted to ride around the show in a Daimler staff car, identical to one he travelled in 64 years ago.

He was also given a ride in a Stewart Honey tank, which was another vehicle he rode in during Operation Market Garden.

There was a tear in the OAP's eye when a Spitfire, identical to those in the Battle of Britain, gave a fly past that included a couple of victory rolls.

"It brings a lump to my throat," the old soldier said.

The highlight of Monday's show for many was a parachute drop by members of the Black Knights Royal Artillery display team from a wartime C47 Dakota.

Dakotas flew hundreds of missions into Europe from the former Ramsbury airfield dropping troops - either by parachute or gliders they towed behind - into war zones.

Wendy Stevens, secretary of the Kennet Valley MVT , said the whole weekend, despite the weather, had been a huge success.

"All the work that went into planning it was worthwhile," said Mrs Stevens , mother of Neil and Clive.

2:07pm Tuesday 6th May 2008

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